The fact that one in seven Albertan men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime is terrifying. Add men’s often reluctance to speak about their health, however true, to the stigma around prostate testing, it’s no wonder the rate of diagnosis is so high.

But prostate cancer is a rather treatable disease if detected early. And the Man Van will be in Drumheller again on June 18 to help, at the Royal Tyrrell Museum parking lot from 12-3 p.m. the day before Father’s Day.

The rural Man Van will be touring southern Alberta again this year and provides an easy and glove-free way for men over 40 to get tested. 

“We’re there to have fun,” said Man Van spokesman Ken Rabb. “There’s big leather chairs and televisions. We want guys to come in and tell us a joke and we’ll tell them one. It’s relaxed, comfortable, and we’re just glad to have guys that are taking charge of their health.”

Visitors will be given a free Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test, which only requires a teaspoon-sized sample of blood to test for higher than recommended levels of the antigen in the bloodstream. Results are given in about a week via phone after tests are run at Rocky View Hospital in Calgary. 

“It doesn’t diagnose prostate cancer but it is an indicator,” said Rabb, adding that people over 50 are recommended to be tested every year.

“We try not to replace a doctor. We still encourage men to get tested and regularly visit their doctor. Our number one goal is to be an awareness campaign, but we are also there to make it easy for guys to get tested.”

Drumheller visitors will be greeted by Martin, a prostate cancer survivor and a believer that PSA testing saved his life.

The Man Van has tested over 27,000 men since it started in 2009 in Calgary. It is the only mobile PSA testing program in Canada. In 2013 they added a second van to visit rural locations. 

Drumheller has always been known as the go-to destination for badlands and dinosaurs, but an increasing number of outsiders are coming to the Badlands Community Facility to get married.

The BCF is booked into 2017 with weddings, and with 14 receptions this year, its most ever and almost double last year’s, the facility is booked so solid this wedding season that a couple of patrons are even getting married on Tuesday evenings. 

“They say the BCF is where they want to get married, and they’re willing to adjust their schedule to have the facility as their own,” said bookings manager Erica Crocker. 

“It’s a great feeling.”

She said close to 50 per cent of patrons are from outside the Drumheller area, coming from north of Edmonton, Calgary, and Red Deer to tie the knot. Crocker believes most of these bookings have some connection to Drumheller already, whether it be family, or an experience they had here and its nostalgia, but she also feels many recognize the attraction of hosting their ceremony in the valley.

“The town itself having so many hotels is appealing to people outside of Drumheller. We’ve got this scenery, we’ve got banquet halls that can accommodate large numbers, state of the art equipment… It’s quite the area to get married in,” she said.

Town Community Services Director Paul Salvatore said it isn’t unexpected.

“It’s been in our plan all the way through. Word of mouth has been the best vehicle for spreading the word about our facilities, but marketing, packages, keeping our website up-to-date and making sure people are in the loop on social media are keys,” he said.

“We’ve had some pretty neat high scale weddings that have taken place there. There’s a higher level of the way you can layout the room, types of finishes for tables and chairs, that gives people a bit of imagination for what’s possible.”

Local Kelsie Campbell says along with the facility’s downtown location, ample parking, the scenic river view, and the staff effort has been a major bonus of their reception booking at the BCF.

“Planning a wedding comes with its stresses, and the staff have been incredibly proactive and accommodating when dealing with any wedding ‘crisis’ I throw at them,” she said.